1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of umbrella/parasol devices and more particularly to an umbrella/parasol with an adjustable tilt feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
Umbrellas or parasols are devices which are typically utilized in an outdoor setting, such as in an outdoor patio, balcony, garden, cafe, and the like to provide shade and protection against the elements. Umbrellas or parasols generally include a canopy assembly which is frequently generally circular and which includes a plurality of support ribs. The support ribs can be deployed and supported in position to uphold a fabric canopy which provides shade and protection from the elements. The canopy assembly is generally supported above users of the umbrella or parasol, generally either by support structures which extend underneath the canopy assembly, or by support structures which extend upward along an outer periphery of the canopy assembly and further extend toward the center of the canopy assembly to support the same in a suspended manner.
One consideration in the use and design of umbrellas or parasols is that the incident sunlight and environmental elements which the users may wish to be shielded against, for example rain which may be wind-driven, is subject to change. As another example, the incident angle of sunlight changes throughout the course of a day as the sun traverses across its daily path. Similarly, the direction of wind during inclement weather may change, such that the rainfall direction, while generally downwards, may shift direction of horizontal components of its fall. Thus, in many applications, it is a desirable feature that an umbrella or parasol assembly be provided with some sort of adjustment or variable positioning to accommodate such shifts in the relative angle of protection provided.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,882 to Harbaugh discloses an umbrella with side support for tilting an opening or a generally vertically extending support structure which is interconnected via movable interconnecting braces to a canopy assembly, such that the canopy assembly can be tilted outward and inward with respect to the vertical support at a variety of tilt angles from a generally vertically erect orientation. However, the Harbaugh device is capable of tilting in only a single direction away from a vertically erect orientation, and this direction is generally away from the vertical support. This presents disadvantageous limitations to use of the Harbaugh umbrella as the Harbaugh umbrella is not capable of tilting towards the vertical support to provide protection to a user should the incident angle of sunlight or other environmental elements indicate such a positioning of the canopy assembly. Even if the Harbaugh reference were somehow modified to provide such an adjustment capability, a sheltered or shielded zone provided by the canopy assembly would coincide with the vertical support, thereby blocking or obstructing that area underneath the Harbaugh umbrella, for example, for placement of chairs, tables, or the users themselves.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,878,509 and 5,029,596 to Tung disclose a stepless tilting device for umbrellas of the general type wherein the canopy assembly is supported underneath by a generally vertically-extending support member, however, with the support member provided with a mechanism for stepless tilting of the umbrella from a generally vertically erect orientation. However, similar to the Harbaugh device, the Tung devices provide tilting in only a single direction from the vertical erect orientation and further suffer the drawback of this general type of umbrella or parasol that the generally vertically extending support member positioned underneath the canopy assembly partially blocks the shielded or sheltered region provided underneath the canopy assembly, thereby limiting the placement of tables, chairs, and users.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,152,156 and 6,478,037 also to Tung disclose another variation of a sunshade with tiltable canopy, wherein a canopy assembly is suspended from above by an arcuate tube which is hingedly connected to a generally vertically extending support pole. Thus, via adjustment of the hinged interconnection between the arcuate tube and the vertical support pole, the canopy assembly of the Tung '156 and '037 devices can be tilted inwards and outwards from a generally vertically extending orientation, however, again suffer similar disadvantages to the Harbaugh device as they appear to only offer a tilt in a single direction away from the generally vertical support pole. Also, if somehow modified to provide tilt towards the pole, these Tung devices would again suffer from blockage of the shielded or sheltered region underneath the canopy assembly by the presence of the vertical support pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,815 also to Tung discloses a canopy support frame for a sunshade which is similar in many respects to the '156 and '037 devices, however, with the further addition of a toothed joint which is configured to be held together in tension as the canopy assembly is erected by a cable member, such that throughout various tilt angles of the arcuate tube with respect to the vertical support, the canopy assembly is maintained in a substantially vertically erect orientation in spite of variations in the relative angle between the arcuate tube and the vertical support and also in applications wherein the vertical support is not oriented in a vertical orientation.